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Bad Fan Switch??

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Old May 23, 2009 | 01:11 AM
  #1  
91camarodriver's Avatar
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Car: 1991 Z28
Engine: 5.7 v8
Transmission: Automatic
Bad Fan Switch??

my fans only turn on when i turn the a/c on. is it the fan switch causing that? and is the fan switch on passenger side on the 350 engine?
I could use some help.
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Old May 23, 2009 | 02:52 AM
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berlin305's Avatar
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From: Concordia Kansas
Car: 1987 Iroc Z 1990 RS 1991 RS
Engine: 454 soon 496
Transmission: Soon T56
Axle/Gears: 308 Posi
Re: Bad Fan Switch??

Okay. The fan if u have duals. The one fan will turn on if you have a/c on. the other one will only turn on when the engine gets hot by the fan switch. That could be the colprit if the secondary fan not working.
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Old May 23, 2009 | 07:00 AM
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naf's Avatar
naf
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From: Lexington, SC
Car: 1987 SC/1985 TA
Engine: 350/vortec/fitech
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9-bolt
Re: Bad Fan Switch??

Pull the lead off the switch and ground it with the ignition in 'run'. If the fan comes on you'll know the relay and wiring are good. The fan switch itself is unlikely to go bad. It may just not be getting hot enough.
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Old May 23, 2009 | 12:24 PM
  #4  
91camarodriver's Avatar
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Car: 1991 Z28
Engine: 5.7 v8
Transmission: Automatic
Re: Bad Fan Switch??

Originally Posted by berlin305
Okay. The fan if u have duals. The one fan will turn on if you have a/c on. the other one will only turn on when the engine gets hot by the fan switch. That could be the colprit if the secondary fan not working.
yea thats what its supposed to do. but when i turn the a/c on they both kick on. even when i just start the car
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Old Jun 6, 2009 | 06:16 PM
  #5  
StringRust's Avatar
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From: Toms River, NJ
Car: '89 Camaro Rs/ '87 Z28
Engine: 305 c.i. TBI/ 305 c.i. 4bbl
Transmission: 700r4/T5
Axle/Gears: 3.73 posi/ 3.73 posi
Re: Bad Fan Switch??

It's probably the fan relay thats bad. Usually if the fans work only when you turn on the a/c its because it bypasses the relay. If the relay is bad they wont turn on, only when u run the a/c.
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Old Jun 7, 2009 | 07:23 AM
  #6  
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From: Lexington, SC
Car: 1987 SC/1985 TA
Engine: 350/vortec/fitech
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9-bolt
Re: Bad Fan Switch??

There's a relay for each fan if you have duals. The AC switch, temp switch and ECM all provide a ground to relay to engage the fan(s).
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Old Jun 7, 2009 | 02:16 PM
  #7  
deadbird's Avatar
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From: So.west IN
Car: 87 Formula/ 00 Xtreme
Engine: TPI 305/ v6
Transmission: struggling t-5/ 4l60E
Axle/Gears: 3.08/ 3.23
Re: Bad Fan Switch??

my fans only turn on when i turn the a/c on. is it the fan switch causing that? and is the fan switch on passenger side on the 350 engine?
The primary fan turns on at 220°F. The secondary turn on temp is 238°F

if u have duals. The one fan will turn on if you have a/c on. the other one will only turn on when the engine gets hot by the fan switch.
That is true for '87 and older. '88-up both fans should run with the A/C.

Usually if the fans work only when you turn on the a/c its because it bypasses the relay.
The a/c pressure switch also uses the relay to make the (secondary) fan operate. It and the fan switch are tied together and switch to ground. If the relay is bad, the fan will not work at all, a/c or not.
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